Haptic and Visual Feedback Technology for Upper-Limb Disability Assessment

Author(s):  
Norali Pernalete ◽  
Amar Raheja ◽  
Stephanie Carey

In this paper, we discuss the possibility to determine assessment metrics for eye-hand coordination and upper-limb disability therapy, using a mapping between a robotic haptic device to a virtual environment and a training algorithm based on Complex Valued Neural Networks that will calculate how close a set movement pattern is in relationship with that traced by a healthy individual. Most of the current robotic systems’ therapy relies on the patient’s performance on standardized clinical tests such as the functional independence measure (FIM), and the upper limb subsection of the Fugl-Meyer (FM) scales. These systems don’t have other standardized metrics for assessment purposes. There is a need to establish a more intelligent and tailored therapy that could be implemented for patients to use at home in between therapy sessions, or in the long term. This therapy should be based on performance data gathered by the robotic/computer system that will provide an assessment procedure with improved objectivity and precision. A set of complex and movement demanding virtual environments, representing various levels of difficulty labyrinths was developed in a virtual environment. The participants were instructed to use a haptic device (Omni) to follow the trajectories. This was completed while video data were collected using a Vicon motion capture system. Readings of traced trajectories, time, and upper limb motions are recorded for further analysis.

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paweł Kiper ◽  
Michela Agostini ◽  
Carlos Luque-Moreno ◽  
Paolo Tonin ◽  
Andrea Turolla

Objectives. To study whether the reinforced feedback in virtual environment (RFVE) is more effective than traditional rehabilitation (TR) for the treatment of upper limb motor function after stroke, regardless of stroke etiology (i.e., ischemic, hemorrhagic).Design. Randomized controlled trial.Participants. Forty-four patients affected by stroke.Intervention. The patients were randomized into two groups: RFVE (N=23) and TR (N=21), and stratified according to stroke etiology. The RFVE treatment consisted of multidirectional exercises providing augmented feedback provided by virtual reality, while in the TR treatment the same exercises were provided without augmented feedbacks.Outcome Measures. Fugl-Meyer upper extremity scale (F-M UE), Functional Independence Measure scale (FIM), and kinematics parameters (speed, time, and peak).Results. The F-M UE (P=0.030), FIM (P=0.021), time (P=0.008), and peak (P=0.018), were significantly higher in the RFVE group after treatment, but not speed (P=0.140). The patients affected by hemorrhagic stroke significantly improved FIM (P=0.031), time (P=0.011), and peak (P=0.020) after treatment, whereas the patients affected by ischemic stroke improved significantly only speed (P=0.005) when treated by RFVE.Conclusion. These results indicated that some poststroke patients may benefit from RFVE program for the recovery of upper limb motor function. This trial is registered withNCT01955291.


Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Spinelli ◽  
Christine Trudell ◽  
Lisa Edelstein ◽  
Mike Reding

Introduction: Having a therapist observe patients engaged in Robotic Upper Limb Therapy (RULT) is considered inefficient use of a therapist’s time and skill. We therefore assessed the feasibility of (RULT) administered by a trained volunteer. Methods: The Volunteer had two 30-minute training sessions by an Occupational Therapist (OT) rehearsing the MIT-Manus Planar Upper Limb Robotic software applications, proper positioning of the patient, and device shut-off and safety considerations. Initial patient sessions were supervised by the patient’s OT until the Volunteer demonstrated satisfactory performance. Inpatients on a Stroke Rehabilitation Unit were referred by their OT for RULT if they could initiate horizontal gravity-eliminated movement of the forearm and could follow one step commands. They were enrolled in 25 minute (RULT) sessions based upon the Volunteer’s availability from one to three half-days per week. Functional Independence Measures and Fugl-Meyer Scores were recorded at the time of Stroke Unit Admission by the OT unaware of (RULT) score results. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 11.5 and significance was attributed if p<0.05 using 2-tailed analyses. Results: A total of 28 patients were enrolled in (RULT) but 2 were unable to participate due to pain in the affected upper limb. Participants had a mean of 3 ± 1.5 SD treatments each. Both the patients and volunteer considered their involvement in the program as worthwhile and meaningful. Admission MIT-Manus Adaptive-3 treatment software data showed that the Normalized Jerk+Line+Target (Norm JLT) Score [defined as (Jerk Score/237)+(Deviation from a Straight Line/13)+(Target Distance Error/14)] demonstrated a significant Spearman-rho Correlation with admission Functional Independence Measure (FIM) upper dressing r = -0.56 p=.003; and FIM grooming subscores r = -0.415, p=.035. The Norm JLT score also predicted change in Fugl-Meyer Upper Limb scores from admission to discharge r = - .788, p = 0.000. Conclusions: Robotic Upper Limb Therapy by a trained Volunteer on an inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Unit is easily administered, is viewed by the patients and volunteer as rewarding, and provides objective measures useful for assessing upper limb function and outcome.


Author(s):  
L. Shuranova ◽  
J. Vacková

The Functional Independence Measure and Functional Assessment Measure (FIM + FAM) is an effective, efficient, and objective tool for tracking changes in the motor, cognitive, and psychosocial functions of patients over the entire treatment and rehabilitation period. It is estimated that in the Czech Republic (CR), stroke is the third most common cause of death and the most common cause of adult disability. To develop faster, better, and more cost‑effective stroke treatments and reduce or mitigate functional losses and restrictive situations, it is very important that patients be objectively evaluated, relative to their functional abilities, as soon as possible after a stroke. A critical part of stroke treatment is to calculate the length of in‑hospital treatment and estimate the length of the rehabilitation period after the stroke. Contemporary methods for evaluating and analyzing a patient’s condition are based on test results and evidence.The FIM offers a more sensitive rating scale compared to BI due to the presence of cognitive items and is used worldwide for assessment during the acute stage of the disease. Thus, it is an efficient instrument for setting therapy goals and evaluating the effects of rehabilitation. Not only can it assist the therapist in clinical decision making, but it also functions as a tool for evaluating rehabilitation outcomes. Based on this test, short‑term and long‑term rehabilitation plans can be determined. At the end of the rehabilitation process, assessing the patient’s functional condition helps to predict the specific long‑term rehabilitation services the patient will need as they return to society and regain their quality of life.


2020 ◽  
pp. 156918612092660
Author(s):  
Haruka Yamamoto ◽  
Kazuya Takeda ◽  
Soichiro Koyama ◽  
Keisuke Morishima ◽  
Yuichi Hirakawa ◽  
...  

Background Previous studies have reported a relationship between upper limb motor function and activities of daily living. However, their relationship after removing the influence of lower limb motor function has not been clarified. Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Fugl-Meyer assessment upper limb and total Functional Independence Measure motor score and between Fugl-Meyer assessment upper limb and each item contained in Functional Independence Measure motor score after eliminating the influence of the motor function of the affected lower limb. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study included 58 subacute stroke patients. To investigate the relationship between the Fugl-Meyer assessment upper limb and total Functional Independence Measure motor score before and after removing the influence of Fugl-Meyer assessment lower limb, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and partial correlation analysis were used. Additionally, the relationship between Fugl-Meyer assessment upper limb and each item of Functional Independence Measure motor score after removing the influence was assessed. Results Before removing the influence of Fugl-Meyer assessment lower limb, Fugl-Meyer assessment upper limb was strongly correlated with total Functional Independence Measure motor score (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). However, it became weak after removing the influence (r = 0.27, p = 0.04). Regarding each item of Functional Independence Measure motor score, Fugl-Meyer assessment upper limb was correlated with grooming (r = 0.27, p = 0.04), bathing (r = 0.28, p = 0.03), dressing upper body (r = 0.33, p = 0.01), dressing lower body (r = 0.31, p = 0.02), and stair-climbing (r = 0.31, p = 0.02) after removing the influence. Conclusion These findings suggest that the relationship between the upper limb motor function and activities of daily living is strongly influenced by lower limb motor function.


2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 332-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Figen Yilmaz ◽  
Fusun Sahin ◽  
Semra Aktug ◽  
Banu Kuran ◽  
Adem Yilmaz

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the motor, sensory, and functional recovery in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods. Forty-one patients with SCI participated in this study. Twenty patients were evaluated after discharge. Each patient was evaluated by the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) at admission, before discharge, and at least at 6 months after discharge. Friedman, Dunn, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis. Results. There were 17 male and 3 female patients. Seven patients had complete SCI, and 13 patients had incomplete SCI. The evaluation of motor, sensory, and FIM scores at admission showed significant improvement in all of the patients during the follow-up period (P < 0.0001). Five incompletely injured cases improved with regard to ASIA staging. Motor and FIM scores significantly increased at follow-up for converted and unconverted patients. All parameters increased at follow-up in patients who were complete and incomplete. Motor scores significantly increased at discharge and at follow-up. FIM scores also increased significantly at follow-up in incomplete patients. Conclusion. Motor, sensory, and FIM scores increased in patients with SCI after a follow-up period of 18 months. Improvement to a higher ASIA stage could be accomplished by 25% of the patients. Although both complete and incomplete patients recovered significantly at the follow-up period, only incompletely injured cases could convert to a higher ASIA stage.


2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 732-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamberto Piron ◽  
Paolo Tonin ◽  
Francesco Piccione ◽  
Vincenzo Iaia ◽  
Elena Trivello ◽  
...  

Enhanced feedback provided by a virtual reality system has been shown to promote motor learning in normal subjects. We evaluated whether this approach could be useful for treating patients with motor deficits following brain lesions. Fifty subjects with mild to intermediate arm impairments due to stroke were selected for the study. The patients received treatment daily for one month, consisting of an hour of virtual-environment therapy with enhanced feedback. Before and after the therapy, we assessed the degree of motor impairment and autonomy in daily living activities using the Fugl-Meyer scale for the upper extremities and Functional Independence Measure, respectively. We also analyzed the velocity, duration, and morphology of a sequence of reaching movements, finally comparing the kinematic measures with the scores obtained on the clinical scales. The rehabilitation therapy yielded significant improvements over baseline values in the mean scores on the Fugl-Meyer and Functional Independence Measure scales. The mean Fugl-Meyer score correlated significantly with the duration and velocity of reaching movements. The collated data indicate that motor recovery in post-stroke patients may be promoted by the enhanced feedback provided in a virtual environment and that kinematic analysis of their movements provides reliable measures of motor function changes in response to treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 20-24
Author(s):  
Natasa Radosavljevic ◽  
Dejan Nikolic ◽  
Sofija Radosavljevic ◽  
Mirko Grajic ◽  
Ksenija Boskovic

Introduction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between different levels of examined comorbidities using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics and motor Functional Independence Measure test in the elderly after hip fracture. Material and Methods. The study included 203 geriatric patients, 65 years of age and older, who were referred to a rehabilitation program at the Institute for Rehabilitation after hip fracture. The following comorbidities were analyzed: cardiac, vascular, and respiratory. The motor component of Functional Independence Measure was used to assess functional recovery. The Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics was used to calculate the comorbidity index. The patients were assessed on 4 different occasions: on admission, on discharge, 3 months after discharge, and 6 months after discharge. The short-term and long-term efficiency of rehabilitation treatment was measured. Results. There is a significant difference in motor Functional Independence Measure scores between different levels of vascular (p = 0.010) and respiratory (p = 0.047) comorbidities only on admission, while at other times of observation no significant difference (p > 0.05) was found. The highest level of correlation was found in level 3 comorbidity severity index for cardiac comorbidity (discharge/3 months) (Pearson?s correlation - R = 0.938) and vascular comorbidity (discharge/3 months) (R = 0.912), and level 2 comorbidity severity index for respiratory comorbidity (discharge/3 months) (R = 0.941). Conclusion. Rehabilitation treatment of the elderly after hip fracture plays a significant role both in short-term and long-term recovery, particularly in the functional domains even in persons with significant comorbidities. Early inclusion and an individually designed rehabilitation program with continuous monitoring of the elderly after hip fractures results in functional improvement and better quality of life.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Carlos Luque-Moreno ◽  
Fátima Cano-Bravo ◽  
Pawel Kiper ◽  
Ignacio Solís-Marcos ◽  
Jose A. Moral-Munoz ◽  
...  

Background. Ankle spasticity is a frequent phenomenon that limits functionality in poststroke patients. Objectives. Our aim was to determine if there was decreased spasticity in the ankle plantar flex (PF) muscles in the plegic lower extremity (LE) and improvement of gait function in stroke patients after traditional rehabilitation (TR) in combination with virtual reality with reinforced feedback, which is termed “reinforced feedback virtual environment” (RFVE). Methods. The evaluation, before and after treatment, of 10 hemiparetic patients was performed using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Functional Ambulatory Category (FAC), and Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The intervention consisted of 1 hour/day of TR plus 1 hour/day of RFVE (5 days/week for 3 weeks; 15 sessions in total). Results. The MAS and FAC reached statistical significance (P<0.05). The changes in the FIM did not reach statistical significance (P=0.066). The analysis between the ischemic and haemorrhagic patients showed significant differences in favour of the haemorrhagic group in the FIM scale. A significant correlation between the FAC and the months after the stroke was established (P=−0.711). Indeed, patients who most increased their score on the FAC at the end of treatment were those who started the treatment earliest after stroke. Conclusions. The combined treatment of TR and RFVE showed encouraging results regarding the reduction of spasticity and improvement of gait function. An early commencement of the treatment seems to be ideal, and future research should increase the sample size and assessment tools.


2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato Nickel ◽  
Marcos Lange ◽  
Diane Priscila Stoffel ◽  
Elaine Janeczko Navarro ◽  
Viviane F Zetola

ABSTRACT Objective To examine the frequency of shoulder pain following stroke. Methods Stroke patient function was evaluated using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Scale for Upper Limb Function in Stroke (SULFS). Function scores were examined and compared between the shoulder pain group (SPG) and the no shoulder pain group (No-SPG). Results A total of 58 patients, 22 women (37.9%), were included in this study. The mean patient age was 49.2±10.8 years and study evaluations were done 3.52±2.26 months after stroke. A total of 16 patients (27.6%) were in the SPG and 42 patients (72.4%) were in the No-SPG. The SPG scored significantly lower on the FIM (SPG: 91.06±14.65 vs. No-SPG 114.62 ± 2.27; p < 0.01) and SULFS (SPG median: 2 [range: 1-4], No-SPG median: 5 [range: 1-5]; p < 0.01) than the No-SPG. Conclusion Shoulder pain commonly occurs after stroke and is related to the affected upper limb function and functional independence in stroke patients.


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